Businesses
Calling All Rural Innovative Businesses!
Are you a business located outside one of our major metro areas that operates in any of the following spaces: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, agriculture, bioscience, biotechnology, electronics, energy and natural resources, engineering, life sciences, or information technology? Or, are you a rural business doing something “innovative” that could lead to exponential growth for your business? If so – we need your help!
OPAL is working with Innovate Alabama and a host of partners statewide to perform a landscape assessment of what Alabama’s innovation economy looks like outside of our major metros. We are building Alabama’s first comprehensive database of rural innovative businesses – and to do that, we’re conducting a statewide survey to “map” that landscape. If you’re a business, headquartered outside of Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, or Tuscaloosa, and fit into one of the categories listed above – we want to make sure your voice is heard!
REGISTER YOUR INNOVATIVE BUSINESS TODAY
By completing our survey, you’re helping the state craft better policies to support businesses like yours. If we can meet one of the needs you identify in the registration (like technical assistance or access to capital), we are more than happy to connect you to service providers across the state who can help. Note that we will only use responses provided in aggregate form – we will not disclose individual responses to any third parties without your express written consent.
General Business Support
Buildings need occupants and communities need business activity to thrive – so we work with our statewide partners listed below to ensure that the businesses we encounter have the support they need to scale. This includes the following (from OPAL and our partners):
OPAL
If your business needs a new physical facility, we may be able to help. We assist businesses (particularly those with capital intensive expansions of $5M or more) with site selection, project development, incentives and capital stacking. We also work with scaling companies with purchase contracts to provide access to capital. To learn more or request assistance, reach out to us.
ASBDC
The Alabama SBDC Network specializes in one-on-one business advising and educational training for small businesses. Through 10 in-person offices across the state or online, ASBDC is the “front line” for business assistance services, and advice across the entire business spectrum (from service industry to high-growth tech startups). Register with ASBDC to receive their wide array of free service offerings!
EDPA
Started in 2006, Alabama Launchpad is the state’s most active early-stage seed fund investor, driving innovation and job growth through startup competitions and ongoing mentoring for Alabama entrepreneurs. Through Launchpad, EDPA offers a wraparound suite of evaluation and coaching that can help elevate innovative businesses – and provides winners with funding to scale. To learn more and apply, visit their website!
MSA
Main Street Alabama is a 501©(3) organization focused on bringing jobs, dollars, and people back to Alabama’s historic communities. Main Street Alabama is the state coordinating program of Main Street America and utilizes the proven Main Street Four-Point Approach to help communities organize themselves for success, create vibrant public spaces through design, promote their districts, and enhance their economic base.
OPAL’s primary means of supporting businesses is through pre-development assistance. We work with emerging developers and businesses that want to improve property they own through our Property Development Assistance Program.